Liberty Ranch Read online

  When Katrina got to the Alexander ranch for the sewing circle. This was her very first one and she couldn’t wait for it. Though her stomach did a flip. The ladies from church had invited her to sit in the living room where about fifteen women were sewing around a large quilt.

  She started threading a needle.

  A lady next to Katrina smiled and said, "Hi, I am Diana Tanner. I have three children and another on the way." She held her growing stomach and smiled. "I am Mabel's daughter."

  "Nice to meet you. I am Katrina Starry." Katrina tried to hide her lisp by whispering, but it didn't work most times.

  They all then started talking, some asking Katrina questions. She answered them and someone noticed how she was sewing without watching what she was doing and a lady asked about it.

  Trying to hide her discomfort, she cleared her throat, “When my ma and sisters would sew I got used to looking at them while sewing. My sister, Julia, would end up painting." She looked at Mabel. Mabel gave her a look that said, 'you can trust them.'

  The ladies started talking about the orphanage in Peoria. Katrina knew that was Liberty House, the home for unwanted, touched, and child slaves that Izzy and Cole had started. Liberty Ranch would be like it, but for families who cared for those children.

  A woman with blond hair was saying, "I have seen asylum children. They are getting many more in, more than they can handle."

  "I heard of one child burning down their adoptive parents' home and stealing 'em blind," Maryanne said.

  "Talk about stealing them blind, I had two pies gone this week," Gabby said.

  "Oh, my. I had some bread stolen," Emily said.

  They all looked at Mabel. Mabel put up her hands. "Hey, my boys have been at the ranch lately." She looked at Diana and Sandra, but they both shook their heads, though Sandra looked doubtful.

  Maryann spoke up loudly, "What about Lucy?"

  Mabel frowned. "Maryann, you know Lucy would never steal."

  "What about the incident at the general store?" Maryann glared at her.

  "That was a misunderstanding."

  "That your boys caused!"

  Mabel glared at her but didn't argue with it.

  Katrina didn't know what came over her, but spoke up quietly, "Maryanne, I saw your townhouse. The flowers look like they will be beautiful in full bloom."

  Maryann turned her angry face from Mabel to smile at Katrina. "Oh, yes. My flower gardens are the most plentiful in the area. I sell them in the spring."

  Mabel looked relieved but seemed tired.

  All the ladies started talking at once, on different topics. It was all so confusing for Katrina.

  Mabel spoke up and asked Katrina if she would like to get the coffee. Katrina couldn't be more grateful for her newfound friend. Reckon they both could help each other out when in need.

  KATRINA LOVED THE WARMTH of the sun on her back as she hung the laundry on the line Andrew had just made.

  Finishing the laundry, she went to the small shed to see if she could keep goats in there. She loved goat's milk. Back home, she had a job to feed and milk them all on the massive plantation right before she had married Andrew.

  Andrew had done a good job at fixing the shed so far, but the roof needed patching. There was a puddle of water in the middle of the floor. She saw a big shelf that held old tools that hadn’t been used in some time. Under the shelf was a hole with an old door that had seen better days. Opening the little door, she fell back and let out a cry as she fell in the puddle. She stood and leaned to see in there. There were two girls in the hole. They were curled up in the small area, shoulders touching and legs curled up around each other. "Come on out, girls. I won't hurt you."

  The younger girl stepped out first. She was tall and thin, dirty rags hung on her body. Her hair color was hard to see under all the grease. Under bright blue eyes showed the starvation and hunger in deep circles. Her feet were bare, cracked, and dry.

  Katrina had seen many children like this, especially during and after the war, the starvation reeked in the south like a spreading disease with no cure.

  The dark-haired girl came out. Katrina saw she was around fifteen years old but her body and eyes looked much older. She was small with a big bust which was falling out of her dirty dress. Her hair hung in greasy black ringlets, and her skin was tan under all the dirt. Brown eyes hung in more fear than hunger. She was of Mexican descent. Her dress was worse for wear being much too tight, and shorter than a proper dress. She was also wearing high cut boots, as girls did in a saloon. They were not walking shoes; her feet had to be covered in blisters. This young woman had once been a working girl. Probably a runaway and her saloon owner probably wanted her back.

  "What are you two doing in there?" Katrina finally asked, then shrugged. "No matter. Will you come in and eat something? I just finished baking some bread."

  They both looked at her with fearful eyes, and then the older girl shrugged. Katrina led the way out, making sure she was standing beside her in case one spoke so she could hear them. It didn't look like that would happen.

  When they sat down at the dining room table, Katrina cut some fresh bread for them and buttered it.

  The older girl picked it at first, and then ate like she hadn't seen food in a long time.

  The younger one looked about to be sick. Suddenly shoving it in her mouth like she was starved. Then abruptly she threw up all over the table and floor. Katrina hurried the girl over to the sink to get some water, ignoring the mess.

  The older girl sat there looking unconcerned. Katrina looked at her for some answer and she finally spoke. "She does that all the time. Can't hold down any food, not that we have eaten much. She just throws it up."

  Katrina turned back and asked, "Why"

  She answered, "How should I know?!"

  Katrina was asking more for herself. Standing next to the girl, she could see vermin on her. Having dealt with that many times at the orphanage she knew how to get rid of it. The vermin was a minor problem compared to her health. The younger girl had looked pale before, but now she looked like you could see through her skin. Drinking some water, the girl kept it down. Maybe she should get Doctor Charles.

  She turned to see the older girl had cut herself some bread and eaten it, not minding the puke mess. "What do you do to get her to eat without pukin’?"

  She shrugged again. "I don’t know nothin’. She is a sickly girl. I have seen it before."

  Katrina hadn't seen it before. She sighed. "By the way, I am Katrina Starry."

  "I am Francesca, and that is Sara." She stood up. "Thanks for the bread, but we should go."

  "You're not going anywhere," Katrina told her as she turned back to Sara. "Let's clean up this mess while Sara tries to drink some milk slowly."

  Katrina helped Sara sit at the clean end of the table and then handed her a glass of milk. Mabel had been nice enough to lend her an extra milk cow until they could find one. Then she set up to clean the mess. It didn't take much time and Francesca looked at her oddly. Sara sat there drinking the milk. Then it dawned on Katrina. "You're the children that have been stealing food around here?"

  Francesca looked at her like she was dumb. "Nothin’ gets by you."

  Katrina was surprised Francesca would respond sarcastically like that. It made her seem much older, though she couldn't be older than fifteen. "What can I say, I just moved here?"

  "When?" Francesca asked.

  "I've been here over a week now." Katrina sounded tired thinking about all that happened since she got here.

  Francesca looked around. "Cleaned this place up nice."

  "Y'alls been here before?" Katrina asked.

  Francesca shrugged. "Where's you from?"

  Katrina wondered if she meant her lisp or her southern accent. "From the deep South."

  "What made you come here?"

  Katrina shrugged. "It's pretty and I like it." She looked at both of them. "Now, what do you feel about a bath?"

  After both gi
rls bathed and washed their hair, they dressed in Katrina's clothes. These were much too big for them, but their old clothes were not an option. The borrowed items would have to do.

  "Francesca, Sara, why don't we head over to a friend's house," Katrina said cheerily. Dr. Charles might be home by now, or she hoped so.

  "Is it an orphanage?" Francesca asked, her eyes going wide. "I have seen none in town."

  "No, my dears, it's just a friend's house. She has a daughter about your age. Maybe I have some clothes for you."

  Francesca frowned but shrugged.

  Katrina wondered if Sara was mute? For the child had said nothing.

  As they headed to the Alexander ranch, she noticed how pretty the girls were. Francesca was short with a head of beautiful, full, black hair. Her face was round, and her nose was pudgy, her lips full. Her jaw was hard, like she had faced too much in her young life. Her eyes showed it the most; they were angry, fearful, and hard. Behind them showed things she had seen and things she would never forget. She looked like she had built many walls around her heart to protect herself.

  Sara was as different from Francesca as girls could be. She was tall for her age, which if Katrina guessed right, it would be around twelve or thirteen. Her hair, now washed, was straight light blond, her face narrow and pale. Her nose was narrow and straight, her cheeks were hollow, her eyes were a beautiful blue with a yellow ring around them. Katrina saw something different in them than Francesca's eyes. It wasn't only fear, but also emptiness, a hollow look like nothing mattered.

  Katrina knocked on the Alexander’s door, and Mabel came to answer. She smiled at Katrina then took in the girls without missing a beat. "Hi, Katrina and girls, come on in. I just made some lemonade." She led the way into the kitchen, then told the girls to sit while she got them and her children lemonade. As she and Katrina stayed in the kitchen where they could still see the children, Mabel looked at Katrina and asked, "What is the story? I am dying to hear it."

  Katrina told her all she knew, especially how Sara couldn't keep anything down. Mabel sadly nodded. "I have seen it before." She sighed. She kept her eyes on the children like a hen mother. "I saw it when I first laid eyes on them. It is in Sara's eyes. Hunger. There’s hardness behind Francesca's eyes. Sara can't keep anything down because her stomach is used to being empty and doesn't know how to handle food. My children have had it before. You just have to give them a little food at a time. Also, my Charles can give you something to help."

  "I thought he might be able to. Is he home?" Katrina asked.

  Mabel nodded, but before they moved, she put a hand on Katrina’s arm. “Sara could also be going through withdrawal from alcohol.” She added, “I am surprised Francesca is not suffering with it. But she might be moody for a bit due to headaches and body shakes.”

  Katrina looked confused. “Why would she be addicted to liquor?”

  Mabel glanced back at the girls and then back to Katrina. “Because that is what owners give prostitutes.”

  Katrina flinched, shaking her head. “No, that is wrong. Sara is just a child.” Tears filled her eyes.

  Mabel didn’t argue. “Will that make you not raise the girls?”

  Katrina shook her head. “No!” She looked at the girls and then thought about it. “No, my best friend was a child prostitute. Her name was Clara.”

  Mabel squeezed her arm. “Where is she now?”

  Katrina looked away. Not wanting to face her when she said it. “Heaven. She had such faith, even at twelve.” She stepped away, wanting space. Wiping at her eyes she added, "I haven't even told Andrew. He wasn't home, so I left him a note telling him to head here."

  "How will you talk with him without the girls hearing?" Mabel winked at her.

  Katrina signed and smiled. "We know how to talk very well."

  Mabel smiled. "What will you do?"

  "Take them home to sleep tonight. After that, I am not sure," Katrina told her honestly.

  THE TOWN OF DAPHNE was hopping, full of people walking, riding horses, and driving in wagons. Julia hadn't been in this town for years and she had never seen so many people. Stopping in front of the general store, she wondered if they would allow her in there with all the children. Because of her newfound wealth, they might overlook it this one time. She could smell fresh food from the diner across the street. Hearing the many boots and shoes on the boardwalk, she worried how she could get past them without being noticed. But the thought didn’t bother as much as she just could walk the streets without any fear. For over five years a man was after to kill her. That is how she got to know Cole and he had found the killer. Julia wiped at a tear she would not remember who it was.

  Charity jumped happily down and tied Blackie. She had long brown hair, green eyes, and her skin was tan from the hours she spent outdoors with the horses. She was the image of her mother, Ellen.

  Julia was glad the horse was fine after it almost went lame a few months before. A shadow passed over her at the memory. She jumped down and helped the excited boys. Taking a look at them all often reminded her of their parents. Travis, Charity, and Johnathan were Ellen’s tummy children.

  The other three children, Hunter, Melody, and David, had been taken in by Ellen when their own parents has died, leaving them orphaned. Now that Ellen had passed, Julia was raising them as well.

  Julia shook her head, trying to shake the memories. She took Johnathan's hand and carried the basket. Charity took David's hand. She knew the boys were excited but also nervous. The first thing the boys spotted was Julia's painting on the wall in the general store. They oohed and awwed over it for a while. Julia just laughed.

  "My new mama is famous." Melody stated it to all of them. She and the younger boys had been calling her ma for a while now. Julia didn’t mind, it made the children feel safer. Charity and the older boys didn’t call her ma, but that didn’t bother Julia.

  "She will be famous worldwide one day," Charity chimed in.

  "I am not sure worldwide, hon," Julia told them.

  "Well, at least famous in the South and the West," Charity told her seriously, acting much older than she was.

  The girls' faces lit up at all the supplies and material. She led them over to the pre-made dresses. Her girls didn't get pre-made clothes often. She told the boys to stay where they were, and she took the girls aside.

  "Now, I am not doing this every outing, but why don't you pick yourself out a dress."

  Charity's green eyes got wide. "Will Cole be upset?"

  Julia put a hand on her shoulder. "Cole would love new dresses for all of us. I bet he will say you are the prettiest girl ever."

  She smiled brightly. "Let's go."

  Melody took Julia's hand. "I want the pink one." She led Julia that way, not caring who saw.

  Julia loved that about Melody. She was so open and didn't care what others thought. She knew what she wanted and did it. With her black tightly curled hair hanging down her back, her smooth dark skin, and her deep brown eyes that showed so much joy, she was the beauty of the family and everyone knew it.

  Charity stood in front of all the dresses. There weren't many to pick from, but it seemed like a lot for the girl who had never been to a grocer.

  Julia put a hand on her shoulder. "Any decision you make will be fine. Do you want help, hon?"

  Charity kept looking, not used to all the decisions of a store.

  Melody just stared, and then she spotted the blue calico one. She whispered, "Cole likes blue."

  The comment melted Julia's heart. She wanted to please Cole so much. "He will love it."

  Charity excitedly picked out a purple striped one. Julia didn't really care what she picked out for herself, so she had the little boys and the girls help her pick out a purple skirt and a nicely fit white blouse. She picked out two bloomers and two undershirts and hid them in her dress. She whispered to the girls, "Why don't you pick out some undergarments?"

  Instantly she regretted asking. She had been so excited she hadn’t thou
ght it through. Melody's eyes just got wide and she frowned. Charity shook her head. "Please, no." She shook her head.

  "I am sorry girls, I shouldn't have asked. That was wrong of me," she mumbled. "Why don't we try out the sweets? What would the boys like?"

  They both nodded, but Julia could tell they were still nervous. She sighed, feeling like she had lost a battle. For over six years their Uncle Frank had sexually abused the girls and older boys. She wished she could give back their innocence, but knew that wasn’t possible so she would help them move on. She followed them to the front and bought the items. Thankfully, the lady said nothing but glared at them.

  Walking out, Johnathan asked, "Can we go to the blacksmith? Andrew told me all about it."

  Julia knew they missed the siblings that were not there, but she didn’t feel comfortable going too many places alone with all the children. "Why don't we bring food to the sheriff's office for Matt and Maverick and see how their work is going?"

  All the children heartily agreed and they headed out the door as Melody said cheerfully, “Maverick should be getting better.”

  Maverick had been shot a few months back while protecting Julia. It had almost cost him dearly.

  Julia nodded. “He is getting much better, but you know how he is fighting to get back to work.”

  Before Melody could respond, the boys ran ahead, bumping into a nicely dressed woman on the boardwalk. Julia walked up to them, feeling so embarrassed. She just wanted Gloria or her closest brother, Sawyer, to come. She took the boys’ hands. "I am very sorry, miss," she told her and was about to walk away, but the woman spoke.

  "You are Julia Donovan?" she asked, looking at her like she was sizing her up.

  Julia nodded.

  Then Melody spoke up. "She sure is. She is a famous artist. Her name used to be Tommy Starry, but she is now Julia Starry Donovan. She is also our new ma." She smiled like everyone should know that.

  The woman's eyes went wide. "I am Molly Smith." She looked over the children like they were on a block for sale. "You are the Washington and Starry children?" She said it like they were nobody's children.